Former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has fired a jibe at Gareth Bale, suggesting that his performances in the big games were not good enough.
The Portuguese brought the winger back to Spurs last summer on-loan from Real Madrid.
The Welshman enjoyed a profitable time back in North London, netting 16 goals during a rollercoaster campaign.
Despite his impressive output for Spurs, Bale did not appear to have the full confidence of ex-Tottenham head coach Mourinho having only been afforded six Premier League starts prior to his sacking in April.
The 31-year-old then scored eight goals in the league following Mourinho’s departure including an exhilarating hat-trick against Sheffield United at White Hart Lane.
Now, the new AS Roma boss has pointed to a lack of ‘big-game’ performances from Bale in his time back at Spurs, labelling that as a concern ahead of Wales’ Euro 2020 campaign.
Talking ahead of the tournament, Mourinho said: “Over the years Wales have relied a lot on Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, the two most talented players in the country.
“But when I look to the club season and how many matches Ramsey played at Juventus, there were lots of injuries.
“When we look to Gareth and how many great performances he had, how many goals he scored against the best teams, there were not many or none. It's not an easy situation for a country without many options.
“But they are always well organised and know how to create a situation to try to get the best out of the more talented players.”
Mourinho’s comments come at an uncertain time for Bale amid questions over his future.
New Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has stated that the Welshman is “coming back” to the Spanish giants, whilst Bale himself has told that there will be discussions over his next destination with just a year remaining on his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu.
